To the Household of God, Israel, and those who go with... may you all have peace!
On a couple/few occasions, folks have raised "concerns" over my greetings of peace that I offer when addressing dear ones on the board. I gather than some find it... well, contrived, if not altogether annoying. I do it, however, because (1) it is what our Lord has directed me to do, (2) it is what he is recorded to have directed his disciples to do, and (3) it is what HE did.
My apologies if this greeting grates on anyone's "nerves." While I understand how it may for those who do not seek peace... or accept our wish of it for them... it is a bit... ummmmm... "curious" that there are ones who profess to be of the Body of Christ who find such a greeting... "irritating." Peace, dear ones, is a fruit of our heavenly Father's spirit... and so wishing peace upon someone... and perhaps their household... is a wish for that fruit... that SPIRIT... to be upon such one and/or his/her household. How can that ever be a "bad" thing? It cannot.
Do I always mean it, alway truly wish it? I WISH I could say, yes, I do! But that would not be the truth. The truth is no, I do not always feel it, or want it for the person, personally. There are times when peace is the LAST thing I want to wish upon or state to a person. Particularly someone who has been harsh or even cruel. BUT... that is what the "discipline" of our Lord is all about, isn't it? Doing GOOD... in SPITE of how others treat us? Wishing peace... even upon someone who is showing themselves to be an enemy?
And what does discipline yield? Is it not "peaceable fruit"... and such fruit within US? Is it not how our Father "prunes" us... so that we can yield even MORE fruit... perhaps of peace... but certainly of long-suffering... kindness... mildness... even love?
So, I can stick to MY feelings... and allow my "jaws" to remain "tight" and hold onto whatever grudge is threatening to arise within MY spirit. Which would result on whatever "fruit" I AM trying to produce to be of little yield or poor quality.
Or... I can take the "yoke" of our Lord... and learn by HIS example... as well as listen to HIM. And not only refrain from returning evil for evil, or reviling when I've been reviled... but being the FIRST to offer peace between us... even if it means letting myself be wronged.
I offer peace... and so long as it is accepted (meaning, not outright rejected), it will remain upon whomever I offer it to. If not, then, as our Lord stated, it will return to me. And it does. Which is how I always have "enough"... to offer to the next one.
I bid you all peace... truly.
YOUR servant and fellow slave of Christ, JAHESHUA MISCHAJAH, who is the Holy One of Israel and Holy Spirit, and Son of the Most Holy One of Israel, JAH of Armies... and our Lord and King,
SA
